I'd like to understand exactly what the Brake Warning Light does (image: http://l.mashby.com/RZ9dKk).

1. Is this CBS light only tied to the brake sensors?
2. What the difference is between a yellow version and the red version? (The only thing I could find is red means "go to the dealership")

Background
Last month I had the Brake Warning Light go off and it was yellow. I replaced the rotors, pads and sensors and reset the CBS. When doing so, I saw that the front sensor had caught on something and pulled out from the pads and the line was frayed. I still had plenty of pad left but since I already invested in new rotors, I went ahead and did the work. Afterwords, I drove approximately 400 miles, properly seating the brakes per EBC's recommendations.

Last Friday the Brake Warning Light went off but this time it was red. The only projects I had left on my list were to replace the brake lines with braided steel and do a brake fluid flush which I did this weekend. I also checked to make sure that the sensors were properly seated and connected properly, with no frayed wiring, or other visual weirdness

I called my local shop this morning and they didn't seem to think it was that big of a deal and that it may be due to a bad sensor. If that's the case, I'm thinking of bridging the wires and not using the sensors if that's all they do.

If anyone can shed some light on this, I'd greatly appreciate it.

 

Short Version
I resolved the issue by properly going through the OBC and resetting the system shown in this video. Nothing was wrong with my brakes, it was just that the countdown indicator went to zero.

Long Version
After my post yesterday, I kept searching for clues and as best I can tell, the Brake Warning Light is directly tied to the brake wear sensors but has two functions.

What is crazy to me is that the light was yellow when the front sensor wiring was frayed but after the countdown reached 0, it went red -- even though the sensors had been replaced. The problem was that I had not reset the counter. I thought I had done a proper reset but apparently I had not and stumbling on the video linked above, showed me a different way to reset the system, which worked.

When I got to the Rear Brake Service section (screenshot: http://l.mashby.com/oaO1gp) it showed "mls -46" and after doing the reset it went to "mls 32000". After I started up the brake light was off and the service indicator was gone.

Conclusion
The Brake Warning Light is directly related to your brake wear sensors but ALSO has a countdown timer that is apparently un-related. If and when you get this warning signal, you should definitely inspect your brakes but it is in no way a direct reflection on their condition.

Hope that helps someone else in the future.

 

my comments were for an early 2007

later GEN2 cars use a two stage sensor <in addition to the counter> (so I'm told) and breaking the first wire causes a change in electrical resistance which the car computer can see as a yellow alert .....

frankly I find the entire brake wear system to be useless as I do my own brakes and tire rotations in my garage. When I rotate my tires I eye-ball the pads. Soon after buying my (new) 07, I changed to EBC pads and clipped the sensors.

What to look for is in the linked "source"

Now have a 15 R-59 which is Mrs dd ....... have not decided what to do when the pads need replacing ... new pads are either less dirty or the black wheels she has hide the dust!!! From cleaning experience I'd say ... less dust.

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editorial comment

many of these systems are carry over from BMW where only a few do their own maint' They LIKE a light to come on to tell them something is "wrong" ..... then they drive to the dealer for service

Is that the MINI culture????? I don't think so ... altho one must admit/consider ... how much of the MINI community is represented here on NAM? Face it ..... most MINI are driven by soccer moms .....